P 62

We decided to take a walk up the hill to the Pena Palace and Park, and the Moorish Fort Ruins; the three main cultural sites at the top of the Sintra mountain. Along the way, another display of Portuguese kindness occurred.

When we came to the junction where the signs pointed one way up, and my map showed another much shorter way, a kind young man came over and helped us decide on the short way. This proved, as he stated, to be greatly superior.

Instead of wandering 4.5km up a busy road, heavy with giant tour buses, we climbed 2km up an ancient stone stairway through a beautiful green and mossy forest. I will have to admit, however, that the vertical climb of about 300 meters in that distance on an uneven and crumbling stone pathway had me panting and sweating, but it was so worth it in comparison to the alternative.